Lori D. Goodman

Brett D. Goodman Polsinelli PC has expanded its bankruptcy team in New York with the addition of an attorney from ArentFox Schiff LLP. Brett D. Goodman joined Polsinelli as a shareholder in the firm's bankruptcy and restructuring practice based in the New York office, the firm said Thursday. Goodman told Law360 Pulse on Friday that over the last several years, his practice has been largely on the creditor side, with a focus on real estate and healthcare clients in and outside bankruptcy. He added that he was attracted to Polsinelli because of its strength both in the bankruptcy practice and in the firm nationwide, combined with the growth of its New York office. "It's an exciting opportunity that marries well with my expertise and my network," Goodman said, adding that the firm allows him to provide 360-degree service for his clients. In his practice, Goodman represents debtors, committees of creditors and equity holders, trustees, agents, secured and unsecured creditors, lenders, asset purchasers and landlords in high-stakes bankruptcy cases and out-of-court restructurings across the country, Polsinelli said. Additionally, he defends and prosecutes avoidance actions and represents lenders in complex commercial workouts and foreclosures. Goodman has also represented clients in distressed situations in major Chapter 11 cases and workouts across various industries such as retail, healthcare, media, real estate, aerospace and energy, according to the firm. "Brett is a highly respected bankruptcy and restructuring attorney with deep experience across industries at the core of today's distressed landscape," Christopher A. Ward, co-chair of the bankruptcy and restructuring practice, said in the statement. "His arrival reinforces our bench strength and enhances our ability to deliver business-focused solutions in challenging markets." Goodman said he had worked at ArentFox Schiff for the last four years. He spent much of his legal career, over 13 years, at what is now Troutman Pepper Locke LLP. A graduate of New York Law School, Goodman began his legal career at Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP, his LinkedIn profile shows. Bill Di Bianca, Polsinelli's New York office managing partner, said in the statement that Goodman's arrival "not only strengthens our bankruptcy team but also demonstrates the momentum of our office as we continue to attract top talent across each of the firm's practice groups." In July, Polsinelli added an eight-attorney real estate team from ArentFox Schiff, including the firm's national real estate co-leader, most of whom joined the New York office.

Sep 19

2 min

Freshfields represented KfW IPEX-BANK GMBH (“KfW”), as mandated lead arranger, facility agent and senior project lender, on a $165 million project financing of a solar electrical generation and storage facility, as well related substation equipment, in Osceola, Arkansas (the “Project”), to be owned and developed by Green & Clean Power LLC (“GCP”). Electric power generated by the Project will be used by Hybar LLC (“Hybar”) to recycle and melt scrap metal in the production of 630,000 tons of rebar annually in Hybar’s steel recycling and rebar project in Arkansas. Freshfields also represented KfW on a limited recourse financing for Hybar’s steel recycling and rebar project in Arkansas, which is under construction. The Project will be able to store both solar-generated and grid-supplied power which will allow Hybar to optimize the overall all-in cost of its power consumption. The combination of Hybar’s 100% recycled raw materials (scrap metal), coupled with its access to high-volume renewable power is expected to significantly decrease Hybar’s steel production emissions. Additionally, Freshfields advised KfW with respect to the interaction of its financing with an additional facility granted by the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System of up to $100 million, the proceeds of which will be used to repay KfW’s financing. The Freshfields team was led by partner Melissa Raciti-Knapp and associates Luis Salomon, Carolina Romero, Thomas Heilborn, Sydney Hallisey and Madeline Goodlad, with support from partners Stephanie Brown Cripps, Joe Soltis and Lori Goodman and associates Maylin Meisenheimer and Lina Zhu.

Dec 11

1 min

Global law firm Freshfields is advising CVC on the acquisition of Equine Network, the largest for-profit equestrian-based sports league in the U.S., from Growth Catalyst Partners. This investment will be the first new league investment into CVC’s Global Sport Group. Learn more about this transaction here. The Freshfields team is led by U.S. partners Claire James and Michael Palermo and includes associates D. Andrew Rondeau, Josephine Bryan and Ruth Levy. The team is also supported by partners Charlie Hayes and Maria Ledeneva and senior associates Ted Haxby and Alex Collins in London. Partner Lori Goodman, senior associate Jeffrey Anand and associate Emily Shaw are advising on executive compensation and employee benefits matters; partners Bruce McCulloch and Marin Boney, special counsel Charles Ramsey and associate Andrés Betancor are advising on antitrust matters; counsel Jeremiah Nelson and associates Kate Koudouna and Tosin Owoka are advising on real estate matters; partner Allison Liff, counsel Sean McClay and associates Edina Cobaj and Alex Kennedy are advising on leveraged finance matters; partner Mena Kaplan, senior associate Daniel Spencer and associates Rhea Khakhria and Josh Rudd are advising on intellectual property matters; partner Brock Dahl and associate Jackson Myers are advising on data privacy matters; partner John Rousakis is advising on environmental matters; and partner Joe Soltis and associate Shahab Pournaghshband are advising on tax matters.

Jan 30

1 min

Freshfields has earned recognition across practices in the Chambers USA 2025 guide: Nationwide – Antitrust Nationwide – Corporate Crime & Investigations: Highly Regarded Nationwide – Corporate Governance Nationwide – Corporate/M&A: Elite Nationwide – Financial Services Regulatory: Bank Compliance Nationwide – International Arbitration: Elite Nationwide – International Trade: CFIUS Experts Nationwide – International Trade: Exports and Sanctions: Elite Nationwide – Life Sciences Nationwide – Litigation: Securities Nationwide – Privacy & Data Security: Highly Regarded California – Capital Markets: Debt & Equity California – Life Sciences: Corporate/Commercial California – Litigation: Securities District of Columbia – Antitrust District of Columbia – Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations New York – Banking & Finance New York – Bankruptcy/Restructuring: Highly Regarded New York – Corporate/M&A: Elite New York – Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation New York – Litigation: General Commercial: Highly Regarded New York – Litigation: Securities New York – Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations: Elite New York – Tax Additional highlights include Elite-level Band 1 ranking for the Nationwide – International Arbitration practice and Band 1 ranking for the New York – Bankruptcy/Restructuring and Elite-level for rankings the New York: Corporate/M&A and New York Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations practices, and Nationwide – Corporate/M&A and Nationwide – International Trade: Export Controls & Economic Sanctions practices. Freshfields lawyers received 64 individual rankings: Nigel Blackaby KC, International Arbitration: Counsel – Nationwide Elizabeth Bieber (Up & Coming), Corporate/M&A: Takeover Defense – New York Ian Bushner (Up & Coming), Private Equity: Buyouts – New York Stephanie Brown Cripps, International Trade: Exports and Sanctions – Nationwide Eric Bruce, Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations – District of Columbia Calise Cheng, Capital Markets: Debt & Equity – California; Capital Markets: Debt & Equity: Western United States – Nationwide Timothy Clark, Private Equity: Fund Formation – Nationwide Colin Costello (Up & Coming), International Trade: CFIUS Experts – Nationwide Mary Eaton, Litigation: Securities – New York Julie Elmer, Antitrust: Litigation Specialists – District of Columbia Boris Feldman (Star Individual), Litigation: Securities – California John Fisher, Corporate/M&A – California Nicole Foster, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation – New York Elliot Friedman, International Arbitration: Counsel – Nationwide Doru Gavril, Litigation: Securities – California Beth George, Privacy & Data Security: Privacy – Nationwide Adam Golden, Life Science: Corporate/Commercial – Nationwide Lori Goodman, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation – New York Alison Hashmall, Financial Service Regulatory: Bank Compliance – Nationwide Timothy Harkness, Litigation: General Commercial – New York Jenny Hochenberg, Corporate/M&A – New York Timothy Howard, Privacy & Data Security: Cybersecurity – Nationwide Valerie Ford Jacob (Senior Statesperson), Cap Mkts: Debt & Equity: Eastern United States – Nationwide Menachem Kaplan, Technology – New York Gayle Klein, Litigation: General Commercial – New York Ethan Klingsberg, Corporate/M&A – New York Meredith Kotler, Litigation: Securities – New York Christine Laciak, International Trade: CFIUS Experts – Nationwide Kyle Lakin (Up & Coming), Banking & Finance – New York Heather Lamberg, Antitrust: Cartel – Nationwide Mary Lehner, Antitrust – District of Columbia Allison Liff, Banking & Finance – New York Mark Liscio, Bankruptcy/Restructuring – New York David Livshiz, Litigation: General Commercial – New York Jennifer Loeb (Up & Coming), Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations – District of Columbia Alessandra Love, Corporate/M&A – California Christine Lyon, Privacy & Data Security: Privacy – Nationwide Eric Mahr, Antitrust: Litigation Specialists – District of Columbia Pamela Marcogliese, Corporate Governance – Nationwide Aaron Marcu (Senior Statesperson), Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations – New York Noiana Marigo, International Arbitration: Counsel – Nationwide Steven Matays, Tax – New York Paige von Mehren (Associate to Watch), International Arbitration: Counsel – Nationwide Jennifer Mellott, Antitrust – District of Columbia Aimen Mir, International Trade: CFIUS Experts – Nationwide Madlyn Primoff, Bankruptcy Litigation – New York; Bankruptcy/Restructuring – New York Melissa Raciti-Knapp, Projects – Nationwide Neal Reenan, Private Equity: Buyouts – New York Meghan Rissmiller, Antitrust – District of Columbia Caroline Richard, International Arbitration: Counsel – Nationwide Lee Rovinescu, International Arbitration: Counsel – Nationwide Jordan Salzman (Up & Coming), Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation – New York Justina Sessions, Antitrust – California David Sewell, Financial Services Regulatory: Bank Compliance – Nationwide Adam Siegel, Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations – New York Sarah Solum, Capital Markets: Debt & Equity – California; Capital Markets: Debt & Equity: Western United States – Nationwide Claude Stansbury, Tax – District of Columbia Christine Wilson (Eminent Practitioner), Antitrust – District of Columbia Nabeel Yousef, International Trade: Exports and Sanctions – Nationwide Kimberly Zelnick, Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations – New York Damien Zoubek, Corporate/M&A – New York

Jun 5

3 min

Silicon Valley (December 5, 2024) – Freshfields announced today that Heather Brookfield has joined the firm in its U.S. employee benefits & executive compensation practice as a Silicon Valley-based partner. Heather’s practice focuses on the representation of companies in their compensation and employee benefits matters.  This includes advising on M&A, IPOs and other capital markets transactions, the design, drafting and administration of equity-based compensation programs, as well as employment, consulting, retention, severance, change in control and deferred compensation arrangements. She regularly advises public and private companies on corporate governance and compliance matters associated with compensation and benefits. Co-Head of U.S. Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Lori Goodman stated: “Heather’s seniority and depth of experience is a huge asset to our team. The diversity of her client work and her deep expertise in the complicated laws that govern the practice make her a dynamic addition to our team and the partnership as a whole.” “Strategic executive compensation and benefits advice is critical to achieving our clients’ business objectives both in the transactional and operational context. Heather’s skillset matches the needs of our clients and further enhances our ability to support a broad range of transactional and advisory matters,” added Nicole Foster, Co-Head of U.S. Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation at Freshfields. U.S. Managing Partner Sarah Solum shared: “With more than two decades of experience in Silicon Valley, Heather brings broad technical expertise and deep market knowledge that companies rely on when designing compensation programs and arrangements, complying with tax, accounting and securities laws and executing complex transactions. Her experience strengthens our ability to support companies throughout the corporate life cycle, and we are delighted to welcome her to the firm.” Heather has advised on the employee benefits and compensation aspects of many significant transactions over the course of her career. Recent transactions include mergers and acquisitions for Advanced Biologics, Ironshore Therapeutics, Norwest Venture Partners, RPT Realty and Synaptics, as well as numerous acquisitions for Uber. Heather added: “I am thrilled to be joining Freshfields during this period of growth. The strength of the firm’s global executive compensation and benefits offering is unparalleled and I look forward to continuing to build the team’s capabilities.” Heather’s joining builds on the expansion of the firm’s Silicon Valley office this year, joining alongside capital markets partner Calise Cheng today. Other recent additions in California include partners Denny Kwon (M&A), Eva Mak (private equity), Phillip Stoup (capital markets) and Nicole Cadman (emerging companies).

Dec 5

2 min